In mining industry applications a 0.1% cyanide-water solution cheaply leaches metals, such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead and iron from ore heaps.
Other techniques, "pressure oxidation", "roasting" and soil-loving bacteria, are less efficient.
Cyanide-leaching recovers silver from photographic film; is used to make PCP; and in Cameroon, pygmies harvest honey stun bees with cyanide-laced smoke.
In mining, open ponds of cyanide and toxic metal waste, leak or flood into the environment.
Thousands of birds and animals die drinking from poisoned waste water ponds.
Flora, fauna and humans die from direct contact with concentrated waste; which then flows into tributaries, rivers, lakes and reservoirs, resulting in massive kills of fish, animals and plants, and corrosion of irrigation equipment even 17 miles or more down stream, before cyanide is diluted or deactivated by sunlight.
Over time, even small amounts build up in human tissue.
Evaporation from cyanide waste ponds affects breathing.
Diseases include lung-cancer, and central-nervous system illnesses, like suicide.
Diversion of water for leaching destroys wildlife habitats.
Cyanide waste cleanup is expensive.
A pioneering "closed-loop" cyanide leaching system eliminates open ponds and environment leaks.
It is cheaper, uses less cyanide and operates year-round when open heaps freeze.
Cyanide in galvanizing and plating produces toxics like silica, calcium, iron and zinc.
Soap-like alternatives exist.
Cyanide in rodent poison absorbs topically and produces poison gas and toxic run-off in fires.
Accidentally combining acids with cyanide produces deadly hydrogen cyanide gas.
Hydrogen cyanide contaminates manufactured amino-acids.
Sodium cyanide use by fisherman decimates fish.
